About

For Teachers

- inelastic collision same mass.mp4

Credits

Author: Leong Tze Kwang, Lim Beng Choo

Document Brief: Title: "Tracker 3/5 Perfectly Inelastic Collision with Same Masses by Leongster"

This document examines a 3/5 perfectly inelastic collision scenario where two objects of identical masses collide and stick together post-collision. The focus is on momentum conservation, energy dissipation, and the behavior of perfectly inelastic collisions with a significant energy loss.

Study Guide:

Objective: Analyze the dynamics of a 3/5 perfectly inelastic collision involving two objects of equal masses, emphasizing momentum conservation and energy transformation.

Key Concepts:

1. Perfectly Inelastic Collisions:

   • Collisions where the colliding objects stick together after impact, resulting in maximum energy loss while conserving momentum.

2. Conservation of Momentum:

   • The total momentum before and after the collision remains constant: , where is the mass of each object.

3. Energy Dissipation:

   • A large portion of the system's kinetic energy is transformed into other forms, such as heat, sound, and deformation.

4. Final Velocity Calculation:

   • The shared velocity post-collision is , assuming equal masses and perfect inelasticity.

Experiment Overview:

• Setup: Two objects of equal mass collide on a frictionless surface and stick together after the collision. Motion is tracked using software like Tracker.

• Procedure:

  • Measure initial velocities of both objects and the final shared velocity post-collision.

  • Validate momentum conservation.

  • Calculate the percentage of kinetic energy lost during the collision.

• Observation Points:

  • Shared velocity of the combined mass after impact.

  • Energy lost as a fraction of the initial kinetic energy.

Questions to Consider:

1. What happens to the kinetic energy in a perfectly inelastic collision?

   • Answer: A significant portion is dissipated as heat, sound, or deformation, with only a fraction retained as kinetic energy.

2. How does the mass symmetry affect the final velocity?

   • Answer: Since the masses are equal, the final velocity is the average of the initial velocities.

3. Why is momentum conserved but not kinetic energy?

   • Answer: Momentum is a vector quantity conserved in all collisions, whereas kinetic energy can transform into non-kinetic forms in inelastic collisions.

Applications:

• Understanding energy loss in material testing and collision safety.

• Designing systems where energy dissipation is crucial, such as protective barriers.

• Teaching principles of momentum and energy in physics education.

FAQ:

1. What defines a perfectly inelastic collision? It’s a collision where objects stick together post-impact, resulting in maximum kinetic energy loss while conserving momentum.

2. What does 3/5 signify in this context? It indicates that 60% of the initial kinetic energy is lost, leaving only 40% in the system's final kinetic energy.

3. How is the final velocity calculated? By using the conservation of momentum: .

4. Is momentum always conserved in such collisions? Yes, momentum conservation is a fundamental principle that applies regardless of energy loss.

5. What insights can this study provide? It offers practical understanding of collision dynamics relevant to engineering, vehicle crash analysis, and material deformation studies.